Avatar (2009) is one of the few top grossing movies that is not a sequel, prequel, remake, reboot, or an adapted screenplay. With a domestic haul of $760,507,625 and world-wide gross of $2,782,275,172, Avatar is by far the highest-grossing film of all time. Adjusted for inflation, it comes in at number fourteen on the all-time domestic list (there is no way to "adjust for inflation" internationally, since international markets for film have grown rapidly in recent years). Without an established franchise name, how did Avatar make so much money? Does Avatar's success contradict our Familiarity = Likinghypothesis?
The Cast and Creative Team Although many of the members of Avatar's cast were well established actors, like Sigourney Weaver, there were no cast members with a huge box office draw. Furthermore, the protagonist of the film was played by Sam Worthington, an Australian actor making his American film debut. Even if the film had featured big-draw actors, it isn't likely they would have gotten much face time, since most characters appear as Na'vi or avatars. The real draw of this film comes from its creative team. James Cameron's resume is short (7 wide released films, including Avatar), but filled with box office hits. He wrote and directed Aliens (1986), Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991), True Lies (1994), and Titanic (1997). Prior to Avatar, his films had earn 14 Oscars collectively. His last film, Titanic, had reigned as the highest grossing film of all time until Avatar. Cameron described Avatar as a project that came to him in a dream. He had been planning the film for over ten years, and said he was waiting for technology to catch up before he could start filming. Much of the hype surrounding Avatar was about whether Cameron could outdo himself and break the records set by Titanic.
James Cameron and Sam Worthington on the set of Avatar (2009)
The Protagonist Although he is played by an unfamiliar actor, Jake Sully is an exceptionally accessible character. In the trailer, Jake demonstrates very heroic qualities. Prior to the film's events, he served as a Marine in the US Navy, and during the film he turns on his own side in order to save the woman he loves and a population of innocent people. Jake is depicted as honorable, independent, moral, selfless, tough, and sensitive all at the same time. These are all positive traits that appeal to audiences. As far as character flaws go, Jake's is very integral to his motivations, without undermining any of his positive traits. Jake is paralyzed from the waist down, and is drawn to the Avatar program because it allows him to walk and feel again. This disability makes Jake's transformation into his Na'vi form all the more symbolically and emotional significant for viewers.
Jake Sully wakes in his avatar form. He wiggles his toes for the first time since becoming paralyzed.
The Story In terms of genre, Avatar has the advantage. It is an action film on a galactic scale. Its elements of sci-fi and action are a big draw, particularly for male audiences. There is also a love story at the center of the film, which is another huge draw, especially for female audiences. The fact that Cameron has created some of the greatest action meets sci-fi films of all time and the most well received romance in recent history enhanced the draw of these elements. Thematically, Avatar, is a very familiar story. A major point of criticism of the film is its lack of originality. Its themes of imperialism, militarism, nature, and love have been explored in many films already. Many viewers even deemed the film "Pocahontas in space." Without a doubt, Avatar shares many striking commonalities with this and other similarly themed movie. However, it is important to remember that even the story of Pocahontas (1995) didn't appear out of thin air. It too was inspired by other adaptations of Pocahontas's life. All movies are inspired by other films and pieces of literature, and many of them do not shy away from borrowing distinct elements of other films. Nonetheless, the familiarity of Avatar's story made it a very accessible film for potential moviegoers.
Jake and Neytiri, the center of Avatar's love story.
The Hype The most well known tenant of psychology is that human are tremendously social creatures. The most powerful motivation to see a film is that you're friends are seeing it. Consequently, word-of-mouth is the most important marketing tool. There is no question that Avatar was the most talked about film of the 2000s. It was more than a movie. It was an event that could not be missed. If you have not seen the trailer, you must check it out below. Everything about the marketing for the film--the James Horner score, the emphasis on Cameron's filmography (Titanic, True Lies, Terminator 2), the astounding visuals, and the large-scale battle scenes and flying shots--all scream one word: EPIC. Most modern action and adventure trailers try to portray their films as epic, but none really achieve the feat quite like Avatar's trailer did. Many viewers came for entertainment and visual spectacle, and were not let down. Although Avatar did not have an exceptional opening weekend, it experienced a very small second weekend drop, -1.8% (and the smallest for a movie grossing so much in the first weekend). Its staying power shocked the world. Its success served as more motivation to see the film, even for people who had no interest in seeing it before. Box office success as long lasting as Avatar's is fueled by a very important phenomenon--repeat viewings. Because the film was sold as an event, and it since it was well received by audiences, many viewers saw it multiple times to share the experience with friends.
Avatar's Legacy In terms of art direction and special effects, Avatar was deemed a landmark in cinema before it ever hit the theaters. It was predicted to change film as we knew it. While its script was not game changing, it set off a chain of post-production converted-to-3D films and a slew of IMAX releases. Although this first round of 3D IMAX movies was criticized as an unnecessary cash grab for Hollywood, more recent films (like Transformers: Dark of the Moon(2011), Prometheus (2012), and The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)) have been shot in IMAX 3D and have been praised for their visuals. There is little hope that the prevalence of 3D will wane (3D films perform disproportionately well in foreign markets, which are becoming a growing share of box office grosses), but there are high hopes that the quality of 3D films will vastly improve. Avatar also ushered in a wave of switches to digital film amongst filmmakers and movie theaters across the country. Cameron's epic set new standards for visual effects, art direction, and cinematography in general. It has become the bar that all large scale films compare themselves too.Love it or hate it, Avatar has been the most influential film of the century thus far. And if you can't get past its familiar story elements, you must admit that it's the most epic version of Pocahontas that you could dream of!